Finding the right tent for a backpacking trip is always tricky. You have to balance packed size and weight against livability and how well it stands up to wind and rain. I’ve always erred on the side of a sturdy tent over any weight concerns, which is why I love the Hilleberg Akto, but I…
Honorable Mentions There are so many good TVs available, we can’t add them all to our top list. Here are some enticing options that missed the cut. Sony Bravia 7: The Bravia 7 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a gorgeous display, offering brilliant brightness, naturalistic colors, and suave finesse in the subtle details. Its biggest knock…
First things first: How do you know if your phone is locked? If you purchased it directly from your carrier and you’re still paying it off in installments, then your phone is locked to the carrier’s network. This is also true if you just started service with your current provider, as carriers typically lock phones…
Honorable Mentions Courtesy of Amazon bkr Spiked Big Bottle 1L for $62: Glass water bottles remain the cleanest, nontoxic, and greenest choice. Bkr’s signature silicone protects the glass from shattering but also adds an edgy, grippy texture. It won’t dent or clang against surfaces, and if you drop it in a crowded room, it lands…
Top Choice: Porcelain TileA natural fit for high-traffic areas of the home, porcelain tile outperforms every other flooring material we test for resistance to scratching, and it resists dents from light objects like falling utensils very well, says Li Wang, the CR engineer responsible for rating flooring. Porcelain tile comes in a range of styles…
Not all water needs fixing. Whether a softener is worthwhile depends on how hard your water is, how it’s affecting your home, and what you’re hoping to improve. A good plumber or water treatment specialist can help assess your needs. But keep in mind, most installers have a product to sell. “I don’t recommend treating…
The best mirrorless camera for you depends on what you want to do with it. Ultimately, there is no such thing as the perfect camera. Each has its own limitations, and part of the magic of photography is learning how to get around them. What you want to find is the camera best suited to…
Combined with the X1’s four speakers, you’ve got 200 watts of lossless audio power through one cable, and with Dolby Audio support (although no Dolby Atmos) and 25 ms latency on screen there’s no synching issues I could spot. Range for the speakers is up to 100 feet, but you’ll want them closer for cinematic…
I spend a lot of money getting my hair professionally styled. Getting my hair wet would cause it to revert to its original state of chaos and disarray. Plus, snagging another hair appointment could take days or even weeks (insert scream!) to arrive—this is as terrifying as a person who wears extensions and can’t style…
If you have an area of 600 to 800 square feet that’s slightly damp or infused with a musty smell, a medium-capacity dehumidifier may solve your problem. Wetter rooms as small as 400 square feet can also benefit from midsized units, which are designed to remove 30 to 39 pints of moisture per day. As…